Do you personally know any Vegans?

Do you know anyone who is totally vegan? If so, please show them this post and ask them if I'm thinking right or if I just need to mind my own business (which I plan to do anyway).

Vegans, in addition to being vegetarian, do not use other animal products and by-products such as eggs, dairy products, honey, leather, fur, silk, wool, cosmetics, and soaps derived from animal products.

I know a woman on my job who I think may be vegan, but I just can't be sure. The woman never eats anything, and I mean ANYTHING, but mostly raw vegetables.

From what I understand, people choose to be vegan for health, environmental, and/or ethical reasons. For example, some vegans feel that one promotes the meat industry by consuming eggs and dairy products. That is, once dairy cows or egg-laying chickens are too old to be productive, they are often sold as meat; and since male calves do not produce milk, they usually are raised for veal or other products. Some people avoid these items because of conditions associated with their production.

I say all that to say, I can't make out if this woman is vegan, or if she in fact has an eating disorder. I never see her eat whole wheat bread, rice, nuts, peas, chickpeas, peanut butter, tofu, soy milk or anything like that, that are all supposed to be part of a healthy vegan diet. (I am aware that just because I don't "see" her eat it doesn't mean she doesn't, but 3 years is a long time to observe someone, and I've never seen it once.)

She never EVER eats anything sweet. The woman wouldn't eat a cookie if her life depended on it.

I admire anyone who eats for healthy (and ethical) reasons. But I find her eating style really odd. Green, leafy and crunchy. That's it for her.

Message edited 11/20/2008 11:26:58 PM.

Re: Do you personally know any Vegans?

i do have some vegan friends who i've seen eat regularly, they just don't eat anything containing animal products

sadly, some women suffering from eating disorders will claim vegetarianism or veganism to hide their disorders. it is very likely

Re: Do you personally know any Vegans?

Maybe she has Celiac's Disease...an autoimmunie disorder that triggers a severe gluten allergy. Gluten is in all wheat based products, which is well over 90% of the food that our country consumes...right down to some of the chesses and definitely in any cookie or bread-like item. Can you ask her if she follows a special diet and why? I wouldn't assume that she is vegan just because she eats raw foods. There are plenty of diseases and preferences that could lead to this.

ETA: She could also chose a macrobiotic diet because it does make sense for our metabolisms.

Message edited 11/21/2008 2:08:51 AM.

Re: Do you personally know any Vegans?

She could be part of the raw food movement. I know people who only eat raw food, its supposed to be very good for you.

I like my food hot.

Re: Do you personally know any Vegans?

no-I do not know any real vegans.
Does she look healthy? does she look like there is a issue? how old is she?

Re: Do you personally know any Vegans?

I'm vegan- less hardcore than I used to be. But there are people who only eat a raw diet - nothing cooked - lots of raw veggies, nuts, and grains - believe it or not there are complicated "cookbooks" to make all sorts of raw items like cookies, bread, pasta, etc. Maybe she is doing the raw diet, or maybe she is starving herself!

Re: Do you personally know any Vegans?

Re: Do you personally know any Vegans?

Posted by lipglossjunky73

Posted by lastchance1222

no-I do not know any real vegans.

Uh - yeah you do!

Message edited 11/21/2008 7:48:56 AM.

Re: Do you personally know any Vegans?

DH's friend in Ohio is a vegan and has been for many yrs. but he eats like an OINK! and he's rail thin.

he eats tons of pasta, beans, soy products, veggies, tofu. he also eats a lot of middle eastern food.

Re: Do you personally know any Vegans?

my brother and sister are vegans.

down to the hemp shoes on their feet and the synthetic baseball gloves.


my other brother has a vegan diet, but wears leather shoes...so he doesn't consider himself vegan, just a total vegetarian.

my brother use to follow a raw diet, it consisted so much more then just carrots...pizzas, smoothies, "pies"

sounds like co-worker has an eating disorder.

Re: Do you personally know any Vegans?

Nope..don't know any vegans.

As far as you coworker is concerned, I wouldn't get involved unless I was super-close with her (outsid of work too). She may be on a special diet for a health reason. I have a friend who is very strict with her diet, but for no particular reason.

Re: Do you personally know any Vegans?

There are other signs to tell if someone has an eating disorder other than what they eat. One big sign is their physical appearance. Does she look like she has an eating disorder?

Re: Do you personally know any Vegans?

Yes - I go to church with a lot of vegans.
My DD has horrible food allergies so most of the products in my home are vegan.

Re: Do you personally know any Vegans?

Re: Do you personally know any Vegans?

If I think about it, she is actually super thin but doesn't look super sick. She's probably healthier than the rest of us who are all scarfing down the holiday candy that's starting to come out.

Re: Do you personally know any Vegans?

I knew a vegan who also had an eating disorder. SHe was into animal rights thgouh, so she didnt' wear leather & didn't use produc ts tested onanimals, etc. IF soemone met her ater she became vegan, they migth not knwo she had isues, but I saw the progession & the various forms it tokk before hsewasa vegan.

The womanyou work with might have food allergies or be a low-carb vegan. I would imagine that is very limiting.

I have vegetarian friend who was on South-Beach for a while. She did eat fish though, otherwise she mostly would have been eating vegetables.